Million Bottles of Wine to Be Imported Here from Palestine Within 3 Years

A contract providing for the importation here of one million bottles of wines and liquor from Palestine during the next three years has been concluded between the famous Rishon-le-Zion wine cellars in Palestine founded by Baron Edmund de Rothschild, and the Distillers and Brewers Corporation of America, a $15,000,000 concern, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported yesterday.

The first shipment being made under the contract is of 5,000 cases of wine and 1,500 cases of liquor, according to Harry Mottsman, president and general manager of the D. and B. Import Corporation, subsidiary of the Distillers and Brewers Corporation of America. Mr. Mottsman and Gustave Wilder, representative of the Palestine wine cellars, concluded the agreement after negotiations in which Israel B. Brodie and Robert Szold of the American-Palestine Economic Committee assisted.

A new concern, the Rishon-Le-Zion Carmel Wine Company is being organized here to distribute the Palestine products, it was learned. Mr. Mottsman will head the company.

With repeal of Prohibition, new possibilities giving impetus to the Jewish wine industry in Palestine have been created. Before the World War, the United States and Russia were the largest markets for Palestine wine. The advent of Prohibition in this country reduced the market for Palestine wines. Palestinian vintners, according to reports received here, are planning to open up new areas in Samaria for grape cultivation in order to meet the expected demand for their products from this country.

Mr. Mottsman was for many years connected with the firm of S. Rosenbloom, in Pittsburgh.